fifty prompts for artist’s block 🥳
Updated: Sep 9, 2020
Hi, guys! This week I wanted to talk about something that happens to every artist whether we like it or not: artist’s block. Artist’s block is definitely something that I’ve experienced several times, and while I still think it stinks every time, I’ve learned ways to battle it.
Before I move on though, I would like to say that artist‘s block is something that every artist will go through, and each artist’s way of navigating through these blocks is different. This is just how I manage it. Also, although artist’s block sucks, you shouldn’t let it get to the point where you quit. It’s 100% okay to take breaks, but you should also remember why you make art and the fulfillment art gives you.
The way I tackle artist block sounds pretty counterintuitive as it usually occurs when an artist has no idea what to make, but what I like to do is force myself to make art—whether I want to or not. When I start creating, I have no intention of making the outcome look good; I just let my brain and my hand do whatever feels like should happen. At first, I dread the process, but I find that as I progress, I begin to enjoy it more as fresh ideas flow into my head.
Still, this method doesn’t answer the question, “what should I draw?”, which is why I am here to give you FIFTY prompts for when you are going through artist’s block or just don’t know what to draw. These prompts are meant to be broad so that there is room for interpretation. I find that I get the best results when I pick a general topic in the beginning because I start to get more creative with color, composition, etc. throughout the process.
FIFTY PROMPTS/TOPICS FOR ARTIST BLOCK
color schemes - pick a color scheme and use only those colors!
dinosaurs
something from your fridge/pantry
something you wish to happen
a picture from your camera roll
favorite childhood cartoon/movie
album cover/song lyrics
if a song was a person
books/book quotes
a dream you had
pixel art
use a new medium you’ve never used before
draw/paint using only your fingers
collage something
random line/shape - start by drawing random shapes or lines and then see what you can make out of them :)
contour drawings - drawing with only one line
an inside joke
a fictional place/character
something you fear
a human figure study
self-portrait with makeup/hair/fashion that you have never tried/you would like to try
take inspiration from an artist you like - could be style, color, composition, media, techniques
a close-up
a place you’ve been to that you want to go again
a social issue
pastries/aesthetic food
something that’s been getting on your nerves
what artist’s block feels like to you
the inside of something
something you collect
animals with glasses/accessories
a runway/red carpet look
a met gala theme - look up previous met gala theme’s and create something based off of it!
flowers
multiple pictures of the same person
a childhood memory
patterns
something inspired by a period in art history (my favorites are Rococo and Modern Contemporary)
a family portrait - try different styles and compositions (just a few ideas lol: superheroes, medieval, French royalty, Disney)
a texture study
a culture you would like to know more about
random color challenge - get a bag of markers, paints, colored pencils, etc., pick 3-5 colors at random, and only use those!
only use a ball point pen
a compliment
food in a bowl - salad, cereal, noodles, poke, whatever!
repetition
an instrument
organized chaos
something you found on the floor
desktop portrait - arrange elements on your computer desktop to make a composition
There are all of the prompts :) If there are any that you guys want to suggest, leave them in the comments below! I would love to hear what you guys have to say. All of these aren’t my ideas, but if you give any a try, tag me!
Anyways, I hope this helps some of you guys if you are stuck, and I’ll see you next time :)